Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Last survey for Churingas B&B 63 species a total of 84 species over the three visits during the year full list coming soon.

Grey Shrike-thrush (Colluricincla harmonica)

Leaden Flycatcher (Female) (Myiagra rubecula)

 Leaden Flycatcher (Male) 

Pale-headed Rosella (Platycercus adscitus)

Sacred Kingfisher (Female) (Todiramphus sanctus)

 Sacred Kingfisher (Male)

Hope everyone has a Safe and Happy New Year.

For more birds go to Wild Bird Wednesday

Australian Pelican & Hardhead

After computer problems then internet not working I hope all is fixed now.

Every now and then Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) can be found at Lake Alford. 

Hardhead (Aythya australis) (Male)

Australia's only true diving duck.

For more birds from around the world visit Wild Bird Wednesday

Mary Glen cont.

These are some of the birds recorded on our second visit to Mary Glen during the Winter survey for Bird Trails.

Click on photos to enlarge.

 Australasian Pipit (Anthus australis)

Eastern Great Egret (Ardea alba) 

 Golden Whistler (Male) (Pachycephala pectoralis)

Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) 

Restless Flycatcher (Myiagra inquieta)

Part of the creek that runs through the property.

One of the waterholes on Mary Glen.

For more birds from around the world visit Wild Bird Wednesday

Birds of Prey at Mary Glen.

The most birds of prey we have encountered so far during our Bird Trails surveys was at Mary Glen, a working cattle property in the Mary Valley. Seventy three species of birds were recorded during our stay, including Black-shouldered Kite, Spotted Harrier, a new species for me, Whistling Kite, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Brown Goshawk, and we heard a Barn Owl calling during the night.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris)

Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis)

Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus)

For more bird from around the world visit Wild Bird Wednesday

Waiting Game.

Went out to Lake Alford the other day to see what photos I could get of the local bird life. Spotted this Pied Cormorant in among some White Ibis, and you would not believe it, the White Ibis kept walking and standing in front of the Cormorant just when I was about to take the photo. After much talking, with me saying to the Ibis " just move a bit more to the right keep going I can still see you look it's getting hot just move it will you", I was able to get this photo. 

Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius)

You can see the tail end of the Ibis to the right.

Click on photo to enlarge.
Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday

Phillip Island Cont.

As we wandered along one of the boardwalks of Phillip Island, we saw this Kelp Gull in the distance. 

This post is for Wild Bird Wednesday

  Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus)

Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus)

When we reached one of the lookouts we saw this pair of Pacific Gulls on a rocky outcrop.

 Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor)

This Little Penguin was taken on the mainland at St Kilda.

On Phillip Island we were lucky enough to see one in its burrow, they have a Penguin Parade at sunset. Go to the link below to read more about the penguins, and the relocation of people and their homes from the penguin breeding grounds, these being given back to the penguins. This was made as a TV series.

 http://www.360degreefilms.com.au/assets/files/penguin-island-presskit.pdf

The water looked clear, cold, and rough.

Phillip Island coastline

Seal Rocks

Mangrove Walk Rhyll Inlet

Some of the vegetation beside the boardwalk.

The end of the boardwalk were the water channels through the mangroves

Phillip Island Victoria

This post is for Wild Bird Wednesday
As we were driving around Phillip Island we came across these Cape Barren Geese at one of the roundabouts.
Click on photos to enlarge.

Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae)

These Cape Barren Geese were at the Phillip Island Nature Park. 

After we left here we went to Rhyll Inlet and the Mangrove Walk where in the early 1980's there was a captive breeding programme for Cape Barren Geese and Magpie Geese to build up numbers after a decline. The remains of the enclosure are still there.

As the above photo shows, the programme has been successful as this one had 5 chicks in the wild.

Click on the link and scroll down to the Autumn Seasonal Walk article for more information on this area. 

http://home.vicnet.net.au/~piconsoc/newsletter206.htm 

  

Part of the coast line of Phillip Island

The Nobbies with a sea fog 

The Nobbies after the fog lifted

More of the coast line

Shepparton Victoria.

This post is for Wild Bird Wednesday

Shepparton is a long way from home for us. We had a Wedding to go to, so we took the opportunity to stay a few days before and after the Wedding with our son and his partner in Melbourne.

After being in shorts and shirts in Queensland, it was back to jeans and jumpers in Victoria. Most days were overcast and cold, but we did manage to have a good look around without being rained on.

Click on photos to enlarge

 Australian Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus australis)

We found this Reed-Warbler beside the lakes in Shepparton. 

 Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius)

 Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata)

 Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus)

The morning after the Wedding as we were leaving Shepparton, we stopped at a side road near where we were staying to see what birds were around, and was surprised to see this pair of Red-rumped Parrot feeding on the ground right in front of us. After walking down the road a little way we saw at least half a dozen Eastern Rosella feeding beside the road, and quite a few Red Wattlebird. We were actually looking  for the White-plumed Honeyeater we saw the day before.

White-plumed Honeyeater (Lichenostomus penicillatus) 

Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)

This pair of Silvereye were in the grounds of the Inn we were staying at, as well as Tree Sparrows and Superb Fairy-wren which I was not lucky enough to get photos of.

Superb Fairy-wren (Amblyornis newtonianus)

We did find a Superb Fairy-wren in a little park near the river, though it would not come any closer for a good photo.

I am inclined to call this plant a weed as it was everywhere, we think it is a type of Gazania, a garden plant.

Some of the beautiful trees around Shepparton.